U.S. Pat. No. 5,868,095 to Zeromski, et al., incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, details exemplary inflatable flooring for watercraft such as inflatable boats. Flooring described in the Zeromski patent is denoted as “rigid” and comprises “at least one watertight enclosed chamber of a generally very flat shape and which can be inflated to a relatively high pressure.” The chamber is defined (in part) by upper and lower main walls, with each wall being formed of                at least one sheet of at least one flexible and airtight material. In general, each wall is constituted by an assembly of several sheets . . . which each have specific individual compositions and characteristics . . . . The two walls are also connected to each other by a multiplicity of flexible links such as threads, all of approximately the same length, anchored in [the] walls and holding them against the separating force generated by the inflation pressure.See Zeromski, col 2, 11 29-47 (numerals omitted). Additionally addressed in the Zeromski patent are anti-slip materials for the external face of the upper wall.        
U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,237 to Coryell, et al., also incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, illustrates an inflatable one-man raft with an inflatable “half-floor . . . formed generally at the forward end.” The rear end of the raft, by contrast, “is open in a vertical direction to permit the operator's legs to extend downwardly into the water.” See Coryell, col. 2, 11 17-20. According to the Coryell patent:                The half-floor may comprise a plurality of transverse tube sections mounted in edge-to-edge relationship. The transverse tube sections may be mounted to the main floatation member so that the series of transverse tubes generally follow an inclined plane which slopes upwardly towards the rearward end of the craft.See id., 11. 27-33. Because it is designed to function as the operator's seat rather than as a floor per se, the half-floor of the Coryell patent additionally may include “a generally upright back rest.” See id., 1. 43.        
Unlike those of the Zeromski patent, many inflatable floors (presumably including the “half-floor” of the Coryell patent) are not sufficiently strong to support significant numbers of persons and equipment, as might be necessary to transport combat troops and military gear, for example. Such floors, although very light and compact when folded, can be punctured relatively easily, reducing their strength and the performance of their corresponding boats. As a consequence, some inflatable (and other) boats utilize rigid, non-inflatable floors. These rigid floors often are made of multiple sections that can be removed from the boat and stacked for packing. Because they are sectioned, however, they must be installed (or reinstalled) following inflation of the boat, slowing deployment.
Yet other flooring presently in use encompasses rigid, foldable (“roll-up”) floors. These types of floors, which are not inflated, are typically made of aluminum or wooden slats. To counteract deficiencies in strength and lateral rigidity, the slats are often oversized, resulting in a floor that is heavier and larger than analogous inflatable floors. Further, such roll-up floors frequently are wavy, exhibiting poor longitudinal rigidity in use